Current-motor.



E. G. AKERS.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0012s. 1913.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

TERS CO.. PHOTOYLITHOU WASHINGION, D. C

E. C. AKERS.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 23. 1913.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHUTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. c

E'. C. AKERS.

CURRENT MQTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 2a 1913.

1,121,447, Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Swuzmtoz v fla/Z 65 17129715,

wwwcooeo 15% i Q X044 33M E. G. AKERS. CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.23,1913.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914b 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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witmeooeo v THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHOY. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

EARL o. AKERS, on PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

. CU RENT-Moron.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 15, 11914.

1 Application filed bctolier 1913. Serial no. 796,770..

. ToaZZ whom it may concern Be it k'nownthat I, EARL AKERs, a

citizen of the United States of America, re

siding at Port Huron, inthe county of St. 1

Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to.

the accompanying drawings. This. invention relates to current-motors of a type available for use inrapidly running, open streams, and to an arrangement of the propelling members,blades or buckets whereby not only the impinging eflect ofthe water is obtained, but also the weight efiect of a considerable portion of trapped water acting on several propelling members through a considerable space of time and with even torque on a driving shaft, or shafts. I

-The invention consists in hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device that embodies fea-- tures of the invention, in operative position. Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof, with the buckets or propelling members empty; Fig. 3 is a view in detail from above,

of a propelling blade, the hanger therefor and the guide rolls. Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the blades and adjacent parts; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in detail of guide members for a blade and a spring for maintaining them in position, and igs.- 6 and 7 are views in detall of a positive latch and guard rail for holding ablade in operative position.

Referring to the drawings, a pair of shafts 1, from either or both of which power may be taken, are suitably j ournaled inparallel, substantially horizontal posltion on a properly proportioned main frame 2 adapted to be placed in the bed of a runnlng stream as indicated. Pairs of similarlydisposed sprocket wheels 3 are secured n the meat ofthe stream when running along the lower limb of' the path-described by the chain Properly disposed guide rails 9 support the chain betweenthe wheels when above the frame, corresponding guides 10 below the wheels prevent .the chain from sagging i along the lower limb of the path.

" fit each lower corner of each blade, pan of spaced, parallel guide: rolls 11 are ournaled on studs 12 of a rock-arm 13,,car-

ried by the extremities of rods 14 j ournaled';

in a pair of hangers 15 on the lower margin of the blade.- The rock arms 13 of each R I blade are normally held at substantially right angles to the vertical plane of the bladeby means of suitably disposedspring members 16. A track 17 on the main frame I in parallel relation to the guide members 10 on each side of the frame, has an up-' Wardly extending oblique portion 18 on the upstream side with a rounded-upper end so disposed that as the blades pass downwardly into the water over the wheel the rolls 11 are pressed against the underface of the track by the action of the water and maintainthe blades in eifective position, holding them substantially vertical to the current of the stream whilethe blades are traversing the guides 10 on the track 17.

If desired each blade may have positive-- means for lockingor holding it in operative position. Such construction is shown. in Figs. 6 and 7 in which a blade 20 has a rock arm21 at each lower corner with apair of guide rolls, 22 on each. A spring 23 yieldingly holds the rolls against the track member 17 When under running the track 17 with-the blades assuming the proper operative position, a latch bar 24: that is normally retracted by a spring 25 is thrown into locking engagement with the lock arm'- 21 by the. contacting of the roll 26 on the latch with a guide rod 27. This positively preventsthe blade from tilting untilthe rail 27 is cleared.

In operation the water that impinges against each blade as it enters the current or stream causes the forward movement of blades along the lower guides and tracks while the weight of the water trapped between consecutive blades, urges the blades along as the water moves down stream. Y

Thus the several pockets of water between the several blades of the device that are always submerged, aid the impact effecto'f the current in operating a motor and theremoves at slow speed. The parts are so dised to any mechanism to bedriven.

posed as to be'readily assembled and-taken.

Care of, and do not tend to: get out of adjustment and are-efficient. Either. of the; shafts'orboth may beoperatively connect- Obviously, changes in the detail of the construction may be made without depart .bers yieldingly defining the position of the rolls in relation to the blades, and 'co'iiperf pairs of propi-zlling pivoted v near the uppermargins to the chains to I swing therefrom,..pairsof guiding rolls on thelower blade corners,and spring mematingwith the rolls and tracks to maintain the'blades in operative position when 'submerged. a

' 5. A current.metonconiprisinga -main V s m h s fi invention 5 a a p d. t9 p a y ubmerg d, 'do'notca're to limit myself to any part1cu'-- in a u i tre m t d; members on th lar form" or arrangement ofparts. "submergedfportion of the frame alila iged ,p .What'jIclalm is substantially parallelf zto the course of a" R 1-1;; A current motor comprising a main stream in which the 1 frame maybe. set, a

frame, a pair of rotatabl sh f s iloufmlled pair of spaced, parallel shafts transverse to i; '1' v in parallel,- spaced relation therein, sprocket the track, members journaled on the frame," 7

wheels on the shafts, propeller blades arsprocket wheels onqthe shafts,endl ess flexiy I ticulated at the "upper portions thereof'to ble connections. running over companion I 20, travel around the shafts with the lower'porpairs of Wheels, propelling blades pivot-odes tionspendant, and'yieldingly secured guidnear the upper. marginsjtothe chains to ing members on the blades cooperating with swing therefrom, a rockshaft on the lower;

the main frame to maintain the blades in portion of'eachblade, a pair of rock arms operative position when submerged. I on the extremities of the shaft adapted to '2; 'A current motor comprising a main underrun the track members when the'blade so frameadapted to'be partially submerged in. is submerged, and spring members connect a running stream, a pair of shafts j0uring the rock shaft and blade for maintain I naled thereon in parallel, spaced relation, ing therock arms in substantially perpenpr'opeller'blades articulated at the upper dicular relationtothe blades. go'portionsin an endless series'encircling the. 6.-A current motor comprising a main -95- shafts, wheels on the shafts engaged and frame, adapted to be partially submerged in driven by the blade series, and'means on a running stream, trackmembers on the sub-- 'each bla'de yieldingly engaging the frame merged portion of the frame arranged sub-' 7 when the; blade issubmerged and co6perat stantially parallel to the course ofa stream 1 mg therewith to maintain the blade subon which the frame may beset, a pairof 10o stantially perpendicular to the current of a spaced, parallel'sh'afts transverse to the tream. i track, members journaled' on" the frame, i 3. A current motor comprising a main sprocket wheels on the shafts, endless, flGXlframe," adapted to be partially submerged ble connections running over companion 4c in .a 'running stream, track members on the pairs of wheels, guide members for the submerged portion ofthe frame arrangedchains between the sprocket wheels, prosubstantially parallel to the course of a pelling blades pivoted-near'theupper marstream in which the frame may be set, a ginsto the chains to swing therefrom, pairs pair of spaced, parallel shafts transverse to of guidingrolls on the lower blade corners, the track members journaled on the frame, and spring members yieldingly defining'the sprocket wheels on the shafts, endless flexiposition of the-rolls in relation to the blades, ble connections running over companion and cooperating with the rolls and tracks pairs of wheels, propelling blades pivoted tomaintain the blades in operative position, 1, near the upper margins to the chains to When submerged. j I sojswingtherefrom, and guiding members on 7- 'Arurrent motor comprising a main the lower portions of the'blades yieldingly frame, adapted to be partially submerged engaging the tracks intermittently and coin a running'stream, track members on the ."operating' therewith to maintain the blades submerg d p tio v f he frame 1-arranged in operative position when they are subsubstantially parallel to the course of the 55 merged. stream in which the frame may be set, apair 4. A current motor comprising a main of spaced, arallel shafts transverse to the frame, adapted to be partially submerged track members 'journaled on the frame, in a running stream, track members on the sprocket wheels on the shafts, endless flexisubmerged portion of the frame arranged ble connections running over "companion '60 substantially parallel to the course of a pairs of wheels, 'guide'members for the stream in which the frame may be set, a chains-between the sprocket wheels, pro pairof spaced, parallel shafts transverse to pelling blades pivoted near "the upper mar- .i the track members journaled ,on the frame, gins to the chainsto swing therefrom, a rock" sprocket wheels on the shafts, endless fieXishafton' the lower portion of each blade, 'a cable connections running over companion pair of'rock arms on the extremities ofthe shaft adapted to underrun the track mem- In testimony whereof I aflix my signabers when the blade is submerged, and ture in presence of two Witnesses. spring members connecting the rock-shaft Witnesses:

and blade for maintaining the rock arms in EARL O. AKERS. 5 substantially perpendicular relation to the p C. R. STICKNEY,

blades. O'm'c F. BARTHEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fl ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington; D. 0. i v i 

